This invention relates to a thrust-out type container for a rod-like article such as a lipstick.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a thrust-out type container for a rod-like article disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-300337A. This container 101 comprises an inner cylindrical tube 103 housing a lipstick L so that the lipstick L can move in a vertical direction and a lower covering tube 108 which is integral with a lower outer cylindrical tube 106 formed with a spiral groove 166. An upper covering tube 109 is interposed between the inner cylindrical tube 103 and the lower covering tube 108. The upper covering tube 109 is slidably in close contact with an outer peripheral surface of the inner cylindrical tube 103 and fixed to an inner peripheral surface of the lower covering tube 108. An O-ring 194 is interposed between the lower covering tube 108 and the upper covering tube 109. Except when the lipstick L is actually used, a cap (not shown) is put on this container 101.
With the container of the well known art as has been described above, the entire container can be maintained substantially air-tight state by putting the cap on the lower covering tube having its bottom closed. Theoretically, evaporation of low boiling point ingredients contained in the lipstick can be restrained and thereby a storage stability of the lipstick can be improved. However, in the course of press working or alumite working the lower and upper covering tubes and/or in the course of compressing the upper covering tube into the lower covering tube in the assembling process for the container, the inner surface of the lower covering tube and/or the outer surface of the upper covering tube may be formed with scratches extending in the vertical direction. Evaporation of ingredients contained in the lipstick through such scratches may deteriorate the storage stability of the lipstick. While the O-ring interposed between the lower covering tube and the upper covering tube certainly offers a packing effect between these tubes, it is impossible for the O-ring to block the grooves formed by the scratches. With the lower covering tube presenting a polygonal cross-section in a radial direction, it will be difficult to maintain the upper covering tube in close contact with the inner surface of the lower covering tube at every corner of the polygonal cross-section and thereby to maintain the interior of the lower covering tube in air-tight condition. In this case also, the storage stability of the lipstick is apt to be deteriorated.
This invention relates to an improvement in the container of the well known art as has been described above and aims to improve a preventive effect of the container against evaporation of the low boiling point ingredients contained in the rod-like article such as a lipstick confined therein.
According to this invention, by an improvement in a thrust-out type container for a rod-like article having a vertical direction and a radial direction orthogonal to the vertical direction and basically comprising a body adapted to thrust out the rod-like article through an opening formed at its upper end in the vertical direction and a cap adapted to be detachably put on the body from above in the vertical direction, the body comprising, around an axis extending in the vertical direction and radially outward from this axis, a movable member, an inner cylindrical tube, an outer cylindrical tube and a control tube in this order, the movable member being adapted to carry the rod-like article thereon and movable in the vertical direction, the inner cylindrical tube having an opening at its upper end in the vertical direction and lying outside the movable member to receive the movable member so that the movable member can move in the vertical direction and rotate together with the inner cylindrical tube around the axis, the outer cylindrical tube having an opening at its upper end in the vertical direction and lying outside the inner cylindrical tube to receive the inner cylindrical tube so that the inner cylindrical tube can rotate around the axis, the control tube lying outside the outer cylindrical tube and coupled to the inner cylindrical tube below the outer cylindrical tube so that the control tube can rotate around the axis together with the inner cylindrical tube, the body further comprising, between the outer cylindrical tube and the control tube, an intermediate cylindrical tube fixed to a peripheral surface of the control tube, surrounding the outer cylindrical tube and being rotatable around the outer cylindrical tube wherein an outer peripheral surface of the intermediate cylindrical tube and an inner peripheral surface of the cap come in air-tight contact with each other.
This invention further comprises the intermediate cylindrical tube extending downward beyond respective lower ends of the inner and outer cylindrical tubes and having a closed bottom covering the respective lower ends of these inner and outer cylindrical tubes from below.
This invention includes preferred embodiments as follow:
(1) The movable member presents a circular or polygonal cross-section in the radial direction and includes at least one arm extending outward from an outer peripheral surface of the movable member in the radial direction of the movable member, and the inner cylindrical tube has a first upper end as viewed in the vertical direction, a first lower end as viewed in the vertical direction and a first peripheral wall extending between these two ends, the first peripheral wall being formed with at least one guide slit by making a long cut therein in the vertical direction so that the arm of the movable member lying inside the first peripheral wall extends outward and can be guided through the slit in the vertical direction.
(2) The outer cylindrical tube has a second upper end as viewed in the vertical direction, a second lower end as viewed in the vertical direction and a second peripheral wall extending between these two ends, the second peripheral wall being formed on its inner surface with at least one spiral groove extending between these two ends so as to receive the arm of the movable member slidably along the spiral groove.
(3) The intermediate cylindrical tube is coupled to the inner cylindrical tube below the outer cylindrical tube so that the intermediate cylindrical tube can rotate together with the inner cylindrical tube.
(4) A second intermediate cylindrical tube presenting a polygonal cross-section in the radial direction is interposed between the control tube and the intermediate cylindrical tube.
(5) The control tube presents a polygonal cross-section in the radial direction.